Gifts under $10 that aren't junk for Kids: Arts and Crafts

My kids really love arts and crafts, especially my 6 year old.  A huge box of 160 crayons and a new sketch pad makes her a happy girl.  Here's a few arts and crafts items that won't be in Santa's stocking and the reasons why.

1.  We don't buy Play-doh or the plastic play-doh kits that use little molds to make stuff.  Making play dough is so easy and we do it about once a month around here.  Add in some glitter or some spices like Apple Pie Spice and you have a great sensory activity for kids.  We get out cookie cutters, rolling pins, and an assortment of kitchen utensils to make designs.  It's great fun and it lasts all month long.

2.  We don't buy those Crayola art kits such as "make a paint" set or "melt and mold factory".  These succeed in just creating a big mess and they usually don't work out as much as the advertisements want kids to believe.  They are usually big and bulky and you can't do much else with them.

3.  We don't buy Movie or Character themed items such as "Elsa and Anna etch a sketch" or "Doc McStuffins Weaving Loom".  Favorite characters come and go so we prefer to stick to the classic designs.  They usually come with a lower price tag to boot!

Here's some items that if they found their way onto the Christmas list mom Santa wouldn't mind bringing down the chimney.  All of these items are currently priced below $10 at Amazon (affliate links).

Fisher-Price Travel Doodler Pro  This is the smaller version of the Doodle Pro which is great for small hands and also great to throw into a kid sized backpack to take along to the Dr's office or a road trip.

Dough Tools - 5 Piece Assortment  Buy this sturdy, thick set of dough tools and pair it with a large container of homemade playdough or the ingredients to make play dough with a recipe card.  Would look cute in a large mason jar!

ALEX Toys -, Simply Needlepoint Butterfly Kit
This kit says it is appropriate for kids age 6-12.  Reviews are very good and it looks like something I would enjoy working on together with Camryn during the Christmas break.  One reviewer said it took lots of sessions to complete so that sounds great to me.  I like toys that aren't over and done with before Christmas day is over!

  Melissa & Doug Lace and Trace Pets  Lacing Kits are great for improving hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.  I love that they can take the laces out and start all over again making this kit not a one time affair.  We have this set and the ocean set.  Camryn, 6,  still plays with them in the car and we are working with Annika, age 2, to begin using these lacing kits.

Wikki Stix Rainbow Pak  Wikki Stix are so much fun.  They are sometimes known as Bendaroos.  At this price of $5.30 you can buy two packs!  Kids can reuse these over and over in so many ways.  Want them to practice spelling words or math facts?  Use these!  Teachers use them in all kinds of ways in the elementary school.  You can pair a pack with a $1 cookie sheet from Walmart and then they become transportable.

 

Crayola Ultimate Crayon Case, 152-Crayons This is the ultimate crayon kit.  Pair it with a sketch pad and you're done.  I always loved have "silver and gold" crayons along with cornflower blue and fuchsia.  Such fun colors!